How to Create Earrings Using Blown Electric Fuse

About: An artist by birth, a software architect by choice, a lamp maker by passion, a learner forever. Featured Author here:)
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UPDATE May 4, 2014: For those who were looking for a helix inside the fuse, please check last step :)

Dear Makers,

Due to a recent electricity voltage fluctuations in my locality because of a major line upgrade, the fuse in my spike board blown 2-3 times. It was frustrating so I bought around 4 spare fuses, along with 3 blown which I already have. Having seen so many fuses together, I started to think about what could be done with these little things.

You know I always liked the way fuse looks like a small vessel, very much like a vessel with secret potion or treasure map as seen in the fantasy movies. It also reminded me of vessel pendant.

Since they are small and very few I decided to make some jewelry, but the problem was how. I thought of a pendant first but then it was too basic, then I thought of earrings and there my idea bulb lit :).

This tutorial has so many learnings, which I will share as I show you how to create earrings using blown electric fuse.

And you know what , once I made the first pair of these earrings, I began to think that I have seen something similar somewhere. This is the time where my movies quotient helped me and I figured out that I have seen this in a movie The Rock , it was a VX nerve gas container (See 4th picture above).

I also searched internet and found that many ideas of reusing electrical scrap in jewelry already exists but thankfully this design was not present :)

And as always the best thing about How to create earrings using blown electric fuse is that it is very easy to make. Isn't it awesome :)

Step 1: What Will You Need to Make Earrings Using Blown Electric Fuse

Honestly, other than the fuse, everything is part of your imagination, so feel free to experiment:)

2 Blown or Working Fuses in case you don't have blown. Please don't try to introduce a short-circuit in your computer spike board to get blown fuses LOL.

2 earring findings

2 jump rings

Few glass seed beads

A cotton ear swab.

A flat nose plier

A cigarette lighter.

E6000 or similar glue (Thank you instructables for this prize)

Step 2: Removing the End Caps of Electric Fuse

WARNING: Wear safety goggles for this step, it is extremely important. You don't want glass pieces to get inside your eyes.

In order to make earrings using electric fuse, we need to carefully remove one of the end caps of the fuse without hurting ourselves and the fuse structure. I did not know this but thankfully I got my answer on instructables here. This is how you will remove end-cap from the electric fuse body:

Wear your safety goggles.

Hold fuse from one end.

Heat the other end-cap for 10-15 secs using lighter evenly by rotating the fuse. This will melt the glue inside.

Carefully hold the heated end using flat nose plier (you can also use a thick cloth).

Keep your grip tight on the other end and try to gently move the heated end-cap using the plier. NOTE: if the metal is heated properly, the end-cap will be separated easily, but in case it does not, do not force or put pressure on end-cap, the glass might break and the end cap will be scratched. Instead reheat for few more seconds.

If the cap moves, pull the cap out.

Using the flat nose plier, try to remove the blown wire by pulling it. NOTE: In case you can not remove the wire, then remove the other end too and glue it later.

So now you have an empty vessel :). Before we fill this vessel, lets see how to attach earring finding to the end-cap.

Step 3: How to Attach the Finding to the End-cap

To attach the findings, do as follows:

Insert the finding inside jump ring.

Apply a thin layer of E6000 on the base (where the ends touch) of jump ring.

Apply a thin layer of E6000 on the cap.

Wait for 2 minutes and then attach the jump ring & end-cap.

Leave the arrangement for 15-20 minutes.

NOTE: I have included instructions from E6000 pack, just in case you don't have.

Before I jump to next step, I want to tell you reasons behind using E6000 and also other possible approaches.

Punch a hole on end-cap and make a wire loop for findings: In this approach you have to make a hole in the end-cap so that a wire can be inserted from inside to make a wire loop over the cap. This loop will then connect to findings.

I have tried this approach and decided not to go further with it because:

The end caps are delicate and when applied pressure, it may gets crushed.

It was not possible to make a neat wire loop without scratching the end-cap a lot.

Solder a jump-ring & findings: Now this sounds like perfect idea but I am really not good at clean soldering, if you want, you can try this approach.

E6000 came to my rescue and it worked very well.

IMPORTANT: Don't hang or wear earrings at least for 24 hours, this is the recommended cure time for E6000

Lets fill the vessel.

Step 4: Filling the Fuse With Beads

If you see dirt inside the glass, then use the wet cotton swab to clean the glass from inside.

In your fuse vessel , fill as much as possible glass beads. Shake them as you fIlL to make space for more.

One the vessel if filled, glue the end cap with finding as per instructions of E6000. Clean the glass from outside using a soft cloth.

Allow the arrangement to dry for 24 hours before you start using it.

So..what do you think of the design :D . Awesome :)?

Step 5: Some Experiment With Beads Inside Electric Fuse

I have got lot of glass beads of different colors and types. I tried a few solid color beads just to see how they look. I hope this can help you choose the type of bead as per your likings :D.

UPDATE May 04, 2014: For those who were looking for a helix inside the fuse, I finally managed to get one inside . Unfortunately the tiniest seed bead I got was black, I wish I had those transparent ones. Please see the collage above for instructions.

Thank you so much for taking time to read my ible. I hope you have enjoyed reading it. Should you have questions and feedback, please share in the comments below. Also please share using 'I made it' button in case you to give it a try.

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122 Discussions

Thanks for posting this wonderful instructable, as well as the necklace one it's paired with. You can find these fuses for very short money by going to a car parts store, or going to ebay and getting fuses for an auto that no longer uses them. As for me, I dug around in the garage, the perfect solution for someone who has older relatives who never throw things away. (asking your Dad or Grandpa sounds terrible but often yields good results)

Teeny-weenyseed beads are often found online, especially at places that specialize in antique seed beads. However, I have found that 15/0 seed beads always serve my needs, and thye come ina very wide variety of colors. For the smallest seedbeads currently made, try some 15/0 Hex Delica beads, which wouls make mice cry if they had to bead with them, that's how tiny they are. For small quantities in many colors www.fusionbeads.com. A small packet, which is more than I will use in a lifetime, starts at $4.10. If you don't want to deal with something quite that small, a 15/0 Delica is about the size of a grain of sugar, if I remember correctly.

Hope this helps in some small way, and thank you again for your wonderful postings.

Have you tried maybe finding a wooden dowel that fits the end cap? If you insert that and then tap a nail into it, that might be able to make the hole without crumpling the etal casing! Either that, or drilling a 1/16" bit into the dowel through the cap.Great instructable, I can't wait to try it!

Thanks.. :-) you, me and so many were hoping for the drill! Lol unfortunately for us competition was tough. Loads of good entries. Hopefully they keep on giving these drills so we could try till we win!

Congrats friend, anyway! I know you were hoping to end up higher and I feel you really deserved that. But, as always the road trip is much more important than the final destination. You got a lot of support, no-one can take that back from you!